Tokyo feels a world apart from the rest of the country, and from Earth in general. The city is wonderfully weird and inspirationally insane. Diving into the city’s lively Shinjuku neighborhood at night will probably be the closest you come to interstellar travel. Welcome to planet Crazy!

After exploring the city’s ever-clinking Pachinko parlors, kooky Harajuku culture and anime emporiums, we were looking for the piece de resistance of crazy Tokyo experiences. Resistance was futile. There was no way we could escape the gravitational force of Tokyo’s insane Robot Restaurant, a futuristic electro-cabaret featuring a very distinct air of Disneyland meets Blade Runner. Merely approaching the restaurant, makes it clear that this is something different. Continue…

Years on the road, and this has to be the most ridiculously large hotel keychain we’ve ever seen: an eight-inch wooden jaguar. When the receptionist handed it to us, we both started cracking up. She said she wanted to make sure that guests didn’t forget to turn the key in before they leave. Of course, we came to Xpujil, otherwise known as the middle of nowhere, hoping to encounter a jaguar. I have a feeling that this might be it.

We’ve seen some crazy jewelry over the years: neck rings, lip plates, ear plugs made with empty film canisters. But up to now, none of it has been alive. Makech (also written maquech) just might be the craziest piece of jewelry we’ve ever encountered. These giant bejeweled beetles are traditionally worn by Yucatec Mayan women for a night out on the town.

Thomas was so intrigued that he had to try one on for himself. Honestly, I don’t think it works with Continue…

Indiana Jones destroyed half of Petra in search of it. Robert Langdon risked the wrath of the Catholic Church nearly losing his life in the process to uncover it. Everyone wants to find the Holy Grail – after all, the Holy Grail is the ultimate Holy Grail.

But come on folks, it really isn’t that hard to find. I didn’t have to destroy a major UNESCO World Heritage Site to find it. And as long as you pay your €4.50 entry fee, the Catholic Church shouldn’t try to kill you. In fact, they’ll even provide you with an audio tour.

Yes, the Cathedral of Valencia houses what is generally considered the ultimate contender for the label of “the real Holy Grail.” Continue…

Thomas and I have always dreamt of going to stunning Antarctica, the holy grail for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers everywhere. And now thanks to Apple’s rather controversial new map application, we have.

Somehow, Apple’s digital cartographers seem to have placed Berlin at the heart of the ice continent. While I’ll admit the temperatures seem to be dropping around here, they are nowhere near -50 C. Just to be sure, I wandered the streets this morning hunting for penguins and sea lions, but none were to be found. Bummer.

Moral of the story: If you are using your new iPhone 5 to find the Brandenburg Gate or the Reichstag, they’re not in the Southern Hemisphere.

In 2007, Tony and Thomas decided to shake up their routine by traveling the globe and blogging about their adventures. Join us as we explore the world, discover its wonders, and experiment with our own version of contemporary living. More about us here.